Atlético happy with “complete” performance at Nou Camp

Gerard Piqué is out for 4 weeks

Atlético Madrid are happy with their performance last night at the Nou Camp, calling it a “complete performance”. It was a game that was to be expected as these two great teams went head to head last night in their first leg quarter final.

Though wary of the 1-1 draw, Atlético Madrid will meet FC Barcelona next week on home soil in a bid to finish the job. Meanwhile Martino feels that if his team doesn’t get through to the semi finals, it’s a disaster.

Atlético pressed Barcelona high up the pitch and made sure they were uncomfortable around their own penalty area before Diego Ribas fired in one of the goals of the season for the “Rojiblancos”. Brazilian Neymar was in charge of putting Barcelona back in the game with a goal in the 71st minute to level the scoreboard.

This 1-1 draw for Atlético has given them the courage to move forward and feel that they could progress to the semi finals although Simeone’s men won’t be taking the return leg for granted – even if it is on home territory at the Vicente Calderón stadium in Madrid.

Atlético midfielder Gabi said after the clash: “We gave a really complete performance here. Barcelona are a great football side and we knew it was going to be a big test and now we can be really content at this result”.

“The next match remains a complicated one but obviously we have high hopes of winning it. This is a team full of ambition to achieve great things and I know we will approach the next leg with the same attitude.”

Atlético defender Diego Godín spoke of his team’s “monumental effort” and is pleased with the away goal despite being 90 more minutes to play for. The visitors lost Diego Costa early on in the match while FC Barcelona loses Gerard piqué for 4 weeks after suffering bruising to the right side of his pelvis after he fell awkwardly going up for a challenge with Costa.

Gerard Piqué will undergo further tests today to find out the seriousness of the injury he picked up during the FC Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid game.

Meanwhile, Atlético were not the only ones to make life difficult for their opponents. Manchester United also came away with a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford against Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich.

The game started as expected with Bayern quickly monopolising ball possession. Moyes’ boys put up a great fight and could have had more goals. Vidic found the net first for United on 58 minutes and Schweinsteiger scored on 68 minutes after a defensive error by the Red Devils. This complicates Bayern’s progression through to the semi finals with David Moyes visibly content to have drawn at home to the current European and Bundesliga champions.

Watch Diego’s wonder goal and match highlights